Chayei Sarah

Boaz Michael says,"Abraham and Sarah showed us how to live a life of faith, and the life of faith is a life of testing". At every juncture we are tested. Passing each test requires stubborn optimism, resolute confidence in G*d and steadfast obedience. Life's problems are opportunities to prove our faith and to improve our faithfulness. We fail life's tests when we give in to despair, lose confidence in G*d or turn away from obedience. Every difficulty and trial is a test of faith. Will we assess the problem through the eyes of faith or not? Will we respond in faith or faithlessness?"

Many sages have asked the obvious question of why this portion is called Chayei Sarah, the Life of Sarah when it speaks of her death. It is because she left us with a spiritual legacy death can not destroy. She seized every moment and infused it with her love of HaShem. It is her ongoing influence that still teaches us today. In a teaching by Eli Touger on this portion he says that the good deeds a person does in life precipitate others, that the goodness that one infuses into ones environment creates an ongoing dynamic toward good. And this dynamic continues to bear fruit even after ones passing, helping to increase the good in the world bringing us closer to the Era of Redemption. May we all aspire to inspire beloved and may our lives reflect our love of G*d as we seek to inspire our sphere of influence.

In a teaching given over in Rebbe Nachman's Torah, Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion it says of the verse One hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of Sarah's life, that the word shanah (year) appears  four times. There are four levels of humility, to be more humble than those greater than you, to be more humble than your equals, to be more humble than those lesser than you, and if you are the most humble person to become even more humble. The essence of life, especially in the World to Come is one's humility. The life of Sarah reflects the fourth level of humility, Whether she was one hundred, twenty or seven she kept humbling herself more and more. And "all her day's were good" for in this way, she attained true humility, which is the essence of life.  

Time in this life is not only granted to us to achieve a certain amount of good deeds, time itself is sanctified by our actions. It is said that a perfect life does not end in death, that it sanctifies all that comes after it. The end of our parsha finds Isaac praying in the field towards evening. He lifted his eyes and saw-behold-camels were coming. Rebbe Nachman said it is propitious to pray in fields surrounded by nature. Then all of the grasses and other forces of nature, which continuously sing G*d's praises lend their strength to one's prayers. Beloved it is with a grateful heart that I have the chance to reflect on the life of Sarah and let her radiance inspire me.
Enjoy the poem and song below
Shabbat Shalom~ Elisheva Amaris 

The Song of Weeds & Grasses
Behold thee
That every shepherd 
Brings out to life
his own special tune.
Behold thee
That every grass and weed
Has a special singing
of its own
And from the singing of the weeds
A tune of a shepherd
is being made.
How beautiful
Beauty and pleasance
while we’re paying attention
to their sound
How good it is
To pray among them
and with joy
to worship the Name
and from the the singing of the weeds
the heart fulfills and belongs.
And as the heart
from the singing is longing
and is yearning to the land of biggest joy
Great light
continues, growing
with radiance of the country for Him
and from the singing of the weeds
A song of the heart is being made~Rebbe Nachman of Breslov